Hall of Fame Award

NMMA Canada Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame was established in 1998 in Canada to recognize and honour individuals whose names and deeds are synonymous with the pursuit of quality, innovation, and perfection within the sphere of their expertise; and those who have made or continue to make substantial and lasting contributions toward the advancement of the marine industry. Excellence in the areas of product development, competitive activities, environmental protection, legislative support, and arts & entertainment can be considered for the award. It is NMMA’s most prestigious recognition.

2019 Hall of Fame

Brock Elliott, Campion Marine

Brock Elliott, of Campion Marine, received the National Marine Manufacturer's Association (NMMA) highest honour when inducted into the NMMA Canada Hall of Fame in 2019. Brock's career achievements and contribution to the recreational boating industry were recognized during the NMMA Canada Recreational Boating Industry Breakfast at the Toronto International Boat Show at the Beanfield Centre.

Brock Elliott began his career with Campion as General Manager in September 1998. He was constantly on the production floor talking to staff about ways they could improve their boats and productions methods. In September 2008, the financial world almost collapsed and the marine industry was hit hard again. Thanks to Brock’s prior experience in banking he was able to navigate Campion through some tough years. In 2013, Brock negotiated with a US builder to purchase the Reinell molds and add that brand to Campion’s offerings.

Under Brock’s stewardship Campion built an enviro responsible resin boat powered by a bio diesel engine and a 180hp electric outboard boat was developed. This led to campion evolving into a green manufacturer where they won environment awards at METS in 2016 and an award from the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce.

2018 Hall of Fame

Harold Copping, SeaStar Solutions

Harold Copping, of SeaStar Solutions, received the National Marine Manufacturer's Association (NMMA) highest honour when inducted into the NMMA Canada Hall of Fame in 2018. Harold's career achievements and contribution to the recreational boating industry were recognized during the NMMA Canada Recreational Boating Industry Breakfast at the Toronto International Boat Show at the Beanfield Centre.

Harold Copping began his career with Teleflex in 1976. The vision of Harold’s team was to make boats steer as well as cars and was a visionary for the direction of marine steering technology. Teleflex Canada’s hydraulic steering systems (SeaStar, SeaStar Pro and BayStar) were designed to enable more comfortable control of pleasure powerboats. By 2004, the company had a strong market share in North America, as well as internationally and Harold had added a custom hydraulics business segment which allowed sterndrive engine companies to purchase private label steering systems, as well as trim and tilt, to integrate with their engines, and provide complete steering and controls packages. To this the day, the division that Harold lead employs more than 350 people in Richmond, British Columbia. And in 2012, as a result of Harold’s vision, the Optimus and Optimus 360 (NMMA Innovation award winner) joystick steering system for outboard boats were launched. These products fundamentally changed the marine industry.

2017 Hall of Fame

Denys Lapointe, BRP

Denys Lapointe, of BRP, received the National Marine Manufacturer's Association (NMMA) highest honour when inducted into the NMMA Hall of Fame in 2017. Denys' career achievements and contribution to the recreational boating industry were recognized during the NMMA Canada Recreational Boating Industry Session at the Toronto International Boat Show at the Allstream Centre.

Denys Lapointe is known for his innovation within the industry. Some of these early accomplishments began in 1985 when he joined BRP. He initially worked as a junior product designer for the 1988 launch of the Sea-Doo watercraft. Over the years, he has actively contributed to the advancement of the marine industry, mostly focused on watercraft. To this day, he remains committed to the industry and contributes substantially to the marine industry in his role with BRP. Over the years, Lapointe and his team have won numerous awards, including more than 60 international design awards such as the Red Dot Design Award, International Design Excellence Award (IDEA), Good Design Australia Award, Good Design Japan, Good Design/USA Award, iF Product Design Award, and more.

2016 Hall of Fame

Rick Cassels, Mustang Survival

Rick Cassels, of Mustang Survival, received the National Marine Manufacturer's Association (NMMA) highest honour when inducted into the NMMA Canada Hall of Fame in 2016. Rick's career achievements and contribution to the recreational boating industry were recognized during the NMMA Canada Recreational Boating Industry Session at the Toronto International Boat Show at the Allstream Centre.

Some of Rick’s career highlights include being part of the team that pioneered inflatable PFDs in Canada as well as creating strong relationships with associations such as the Lifesaving Society, Red Cross and Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons (CPS-ECP).

2015 Hall of Fame

Victor Duhamel & Carl Dewar, Legend Boats

Victor Duhamel & Carl Dewar, owners of Legend Boats received the National Marine Manufacturer's Association (NMMA) highest honour when inducted into the NMMA Canada Hall of Fame in 2015. Victor and Carl’s career achievements and contribution to the recreational boating industry were recognized during the NMMA Canada Recreational Boating Industry Session at the Toronto International Boat Show at the Direct Energy Centre.

Victor and Carl are known for their innovation in the industry. Starting out as two friends who opened a tire shop in 1968, their drive and determination led to the creation of Legend Boats in 1987. They have been great leaders, providing the industry with the first aluminum boats to have a full radius windshield. They also introduced the first convertible rear casting deck which allowed their boats to switch from a deck to rear bench seats. Today, Victor Duhamel and Carl Dewar employ more than 85 people in Whitefish and Barrie, Ontario and have 56 independent Legend Dealers across Canada. Through commitment and dedication they’ve built a strong Canadian company that will continue to prosper and innovate for years to come.

2014 Hall of Fame

Gary Poole, Buckeye Marine

The late Gary Poole, owner of Buckeye Marine, received the National Marine Manufacturer's Association (NMMA) highest honour when inducted into the NMMA Canada Hall of Fame in 2014. Gary's many accomplishments were recognized at the NMMA Canada Recreational Boating Industry Session during the Toronto International Boat Show at the Direct Energy Centre.

As the third generation owner of Buckeye Marine, Gary built substantial growth in sales and service. He helped take the business to a new level in 1989 when it moved to a large boat sales and service facility along the highway, where the business still stands today. Gary Poole was a great contributor to the Recreational Boating Centre of Excellence at Georgian College in Midland, Ontario as well as a leader on the Trent Severn Waterways issues the industry faced last year. He also served on the Toronto Boat Show Committee with his wife Debbie Poole. Gary Poole’s achievements have left an unquestionable legacy in the recreational boating industry.

2013 Hall of Fame

Chris Goulder, Volvo Penta Canada

Chris Goulder, former President of Volvo Penta Canada, received the National Marine Manufacturer's Associaiton (NMMA) highest honour when inducted into the NMMA Canada Hall of Fame in 2013. Chris's many accomplishments were recognized at the NMMA Canada Recreational Boating Industry Session during the Toronto International Boat Show at the Direct Energy Centre.

As President of Volvo Penta Canada, Goulder excelled at fostering customer relationships. During his 33 years in the marine industry he served as Director and Chair on many industry boards, including the British Columbia Marine Trades Association (BCMTA), NMMA and Discover Boating. In 2008, he was the recipient of the BCMTA Industry Leadership Award and CASBA Marine Professional of the Year.

2012 Hall of Fame

Ross Jardine, Campion Boats

Ross Campion Jardine, General Manager and founding shareholder of Campion Marine, received the National Marine Manufacturer’s Association’ s (NMMA) highest honour when inducted into the NMMA Canada Hall of Fame. Ross’ career-long achievements were recognized at the NMMA Annual General Meeting during the Toronto International Boat Show at the Direct Energy Centre.

As a former General Manager of Campion Marine, Ross was instrumental in charting the course for Campion to grow internationally and to eventually become Canada’s largest independently owned fiberglass power boat builder. Ross, along with his son, Rex Jardine, introduced numerous boat lines and models to the world of power boating. The Chase line of Campion high performance boats was essential to the introduction of the APEX Hull — now used on almost every Campion model. The APEX Hull is an award winning design that offers safer boat handling, exceptional performance and better fuel economy.